1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the formation of an image (obtained by the commonly known photographic means) on a desired image-forming material, by way of a further application of the commonly known photographic means. In particular, it relates to a process for the formation of an image which is applicable to the case, for example, in which a facial photograph is to be made on a hydrophobic high polymeric material such as an ID card.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are known several prior art methods in the field of image recording. Among them are included the silver salt photography method and the coloring matter diffusion transfer method which comprises placing a photosensitive agent previously on a supporting material and forming an image directly on the supporting material, and the printing method which comprises printing an image previously on a releasable layer and transferring only the printed image onto another material.
All these methods are disadvantageous in that the handling of materials is restricted if the supporting material is always coated with a photosensitive agent, and in that the supporting material is apt to be released from the photosensitive agent layer or cracks are readily formed in the supporting material and the photosensitive layer. Accordingly, the field of use of these methods is very restricted. In addition, when the printed image is transferred onto a supporting material, only the image is transferred so that the selection of the supporting material is restricted. Also, these methods cannot give as clear images as those given by photography. Moreover, these methods require complicated processes which are particularly ineffective when the number of copies to be prepared is small.
Accordingly, if it is possible to form on an optionally chosen image-forming material an image with excellent image properties comparable to those possessed by photographic images, such as sharpness and resolution power, a very effective means will be provided for use in such fields as decorations, an original figure for an over-head projector and ID cards.
The reasons why a photographic image has so far been unable to be formed on the above-mentioned image-forming materials are that the photosensibility, the coating workability, the filmforming property and the adhesive property of the photographic photosensitive material itself are inconvenient for use with an optionally chosen image-forming material.